A cable splice will generally require protection from the effects of the environment in which it is located and, more especially, will require protection against mechanical impact and the entry of moisture. Protection of the cables against strain will often also be required. Many different enclosures providing different levels of protection for cable splices are already available, including so-called re-enterable enclosures that can be re-opened to permit access to the splice whenever required.
Known re-enterable splice enclosures often take the form of a two-part re-openable housing that defines a cavity around the splice and contains a sealant material. The housing provides protection for the splice against mechanical impact and, in combination with the sealant material, protects the cavity to a required level against the entry of moisture while permitting access to the splice when the housing is re-opened. In some cases, the cavity is completely filled with sealant material (see, for example, the splice enclosures described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,250 and, in other cases, the sealant material is pre-formed by molding to particular shapes for use in cable bushings that are located at the ends of the housing (see, for example, the splice enclosures described in WO 02/063736).